Ontario asks Canada’s highest court to hear youth-led climate case [Video]

Ontario has asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on a historic youth-led challenge of the province’s climate plan, moving the case a step closer to a possible hearing before Canada’s top court.

While the court only hears a fraction of the cases it’s asked to review, lawyers for Ontario say this case strikes at an unresolved issue of national concern.

“This proposed appeal would ask this Court to determine, for the first time, whether and to what extent the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms imposes obligations on Canadian governments to combat climate change,” read Ontario’s application for leave to appeal.

The case was brought by seven young people who argue Ontario’s weakened emissions target violated the Charter.

They allege the target violated their right to life in part by committing Ontario to dangerously high levels of planet-warming emissions and discriminated …